Anguished by the apparent deaths of the X-Men, Professor X
no longer wished to train superhuman mutants for fear that they too may be killed on missions. His close friend Dr. Moira MacTaggert persuaded
him to educate two young superhuman mutants: Xi'an Coy Manh (Karma) and
Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane).

Soon after admitting his new students Xavier received a letter from Black Eagle, the father of an old army buddy, asking him to teach his granddaughter
Danielle Moonstar (Psyche I). Black Eagle was soon after murdered by mercenaries working
for Donald Pierce, the renegade White Bishop of the Inner Circle of the
Hellfire Club.

Xavier and his students tracked down Pierce, whose mercenaries were attempting to capture the young Brazilian mutant Robert da Costa
(Sunspot). Da Costa's girlfriend Juliana Sandoval was killed in the attempt.

Finally tracking and battling Pierce and his mercenaries, including a young mutant named Sam Guthrie
(Cannonball II) at Pierce's headquarters, he was defeated when Guthrie refused to kill
and turned against his mentor joining the other mutants.

Banding together the five young mutants became the first members of Xavier's new team, the New Mutants.